


Honeyed smile, and dimpled cheeks

by aqashahadhir



Category: Monsta X (Band), others - Fandom
Genre: Age Difference, F/M, M/M, Mpreg, NOT a sugay daddy!fic, Slow Burn, okay maybe a little
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-04 22:44:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17313239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aqashahadhir/pseuds/aqashahadhir
Summary: “Well, Lee Jooheon- “The male desperately pleads to the heavens-please, please-“-I guess a congratulation is in order?”Fuck.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Let me start by saying that this work is purely fictional, and has absolutely zero connection to any individual or party, either dead or alive. And by that, I really mean don't take this fic too seriously, really.  
> The author really just love Jookyun, and is very disheartened and sad that there isn't enough Jookyun fics here in his blasted site :(  
> Other than that, enjoy :D

The male is, for the lack of better word, _extremely_  nervous.

He sits on the plastic chair with a hunched posture as if trying to make himself as little as possible, eyes darting from one end to the other of the medium-sized room painted white and grey. The sterile smell of the surrounding only serves to edge him even more.

He keeps on rubbing his wet palms on the sides of his worn-out light blue jean, right foot tapping nonstop, a tell-tale sign of anxiety building inside his core.

The other occupant in the room, a middle-aged woman with warm eyes, observes his skittish behavior silently from behind her brown wooden desk.

On another occasion, the doctor might be annoyed by the incessant tapping noise coming from the male, but this time she could only feel pity.

Her patient looks young, probably just starting to enjoy his youth and freedom as evident from his fresh, youthful face and porcelain skin free from any marking. His fair, blemish-free skin that any woman (and man) would die for now looks very gaunt and pale under the bright light of the hospital room.

That thought only make her feel even more sorry for what she’s about to tell him.

 

“Lee Jooheon?” She calls calmly, tone soft and warm.

 

The male jumps in shock, sharp eyes widen upon hearing his name suddenly being called in the previously silent room.

 

“Y-Yes?” His eyes meet the brown, warm eyes of the female physician. The motherly aura she exudes, and her soft smile calms him raging nerve a little bit.

 

“Thank you for coming today. I hope none of your prior plans got canceled because of this sudden appointment?” The doctor asks, trying to lessen the tense atmosphere with small talks.

 

“Just a clas-I mean no! N-No plans. I just…yeah.” The male stutters awkwardly.

 

The doctor clears her throat, feeling equally uncomfortable as the male in front of her.

 

“Well, I guess there’s no need to prolong this any longer. We did a few tests on you a few days ago, and the result just came in.”

 

The male - Jooheon - looks at his doctor with dread. Deep, __deep__  inside his heart, he already knows what the result will be.

And deep, __deep__  inside his heart, he just wishes for all these to be nothing but just a dream. A horrible, terrible nightmare that he must wake up from.

 

“Well, Lee Jooheon- “

 

The male desperately pleads to the heavens- _ _please, please-__

 

“-I guess a congratulation is in order?”

 

__Fuck._ _

 

* * *

 

 

It all started approximately one __horrific__  month ago.

 

 

Lee Jooheon was finally 19.

 

Beautifully, prettily, and freshly 19 years old.

Young, wild, and free, and ready to start his upcoming journey of adolescent youth, friendships, dreams, and perhaps… _ _love?__

And what more suiting to kick-start it than a trip to the club where a certain Lee Jooheon et al. could finally get access to __legally.__

And by that, Jooheon sworn to - __at least__  - get pissed drunk by the end of the night – or morning – and just enjoy his sweet 19 to the fullest.

 

Thus how he ended up sandwiched between Gunhee and Soonyoung, both drunkenly trying to grind against him (keyword : __trying__ ).

Jooheon, Gunhee, and Soonyoung all came from the same hometown, knew each since they barely knew how to speak, and lucky enough to end up in the same university, albeit in different majors.

They’ve known each other practically their whole lives, and all three were the same breed of crazy and wild.

 

The same kind of crazy that ended up in Gunhee and Soonyoung betting on which one of them is a better dancer and made Jooheon (the forever middle person) decide by grinding against him in the middle of the crowded dance floor.

Together the trio must’ve looked like a bunch of dismembered octopuses, spaghetti limbs flying wildly all over the place and bodies wriggling like worms on fire.

Jooheon wasn’t exactly sure but he’s _ _at least__  96% convinced that they’re looking like a freaking safety hazard.

Jooheon pushed Gunhee away, suddenly feeling too hot in between two other sweaty bodies, and made his way towards the bar while ignoring the whines of his two idiotic friends.  

The brunette had to push around to get to his destination, the club becoming more and more dense with goers as time goes by, and occasionally got stopped by some random people who’re either trying to dance with him, or just flat out drunk and trying to cope up feel, or the combination of both.

He gently pushed them all the same, mind too clogged up to do anything but finding something to quench his sudden thirst, and wind down.

Once reaching the bar, Jooheon let out  a huge sigh of relief and quickly sat on the nearest available bar seat.

 

“One beer please.” He said to the nearest bartender, a guy with a slim-build, sharp eyes, and very pale complexion contrasting his dark eyes.

Very cute, and __so__ Jooheon’s style.

On other occasion, Jooheon would immediately flips out his ~~non-existent~~  pick-up skill and try his flirt on the cute bartender. But at that particular moment, Jooheon was feeling too hot, and too uncomfortable, and just too damn  _thirsty_ to care about anything else.

 

__(In hindsight, all the symptoms should've_ _ __been a fucking blaring neon sign to Jooheon of how he should’ve probably haul his ass home right at that instance.)_ _

__(He didn’t.)_ _

 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” A deep voice suddenly rang besides Jooheon’s ear.

 

The male whipped his head towards the source of the voice, and was immediately welcomed with the sight that would make his nights sleepless from then onwards.

 

Standing right beside him was a man, with the sharpest gaze and darkest pair of eyes that could just swallow Jooheon whole. Everything about the man seemed so __regal,__ from his thick, black perfectly-shaped eyebrows, to his sharp, high nose, and his dark locks that fell perfectly on his forehead.

His beautiful golden skin glistening under the yellow light of the bar, the thin sheen of sweat only emphasizing his glorious tanned complexion.

He looked so __effortlessly__  perfect, even to the way he’s casually leaning on the bar, front fully facing Jooheon with a glass of colorless drink in one hand.

But nothing stunned Jooheon more than the sound of his voice.

Jooheon could __feel__  the man’s deep voice reverberating down his spine, thumping along his pulse, and engulfing his entire core, sucking him into a bottomless pit.

 

Jooheon unconsciously close his eyes.

 

“Yoongi, could you give him a glass of water, please?” The man spoke to the bartender -   _ _Yoongi -__ all the while eyes never leaving Jooheon.

 

“Sure. No beer then?” Yoongi asked, right hand already reaching towards a glass on the shelf behind him.

 

The man hummed. “No. I think our boy here should call it quit for tonight.”

 

Jooheon snapped his eyes open, frowning. “I’m not __boy__!” He said, lips starting to form his infamous pout.

 

The man smiled, a teasing one judging from the small tilt of his lip. “If not a boy then what are you? You barely look like you’re allowed in places like this. _ _Legally__ , I mean.”

 

“I’m legal! I got into here legally, mind you!” Jooheon huffed. “You don’t even look like you’re much older than me anyway.”

 

Jooheon lied. Anyone looking would definitely sense the aura of aged-up maturity around the other male. The man wore the air of sensibility like a well-fitting cloak.

That observation certainly made Jooheon’s inside rumble with things he himself couldn’t comprehend.

 

“Don’t I? Well, then, I shall take that as a compliment.” The man grinned, and Jooheon suddenly felt light-headed.

 

“Here.” Yoongi put the clear, transparent glass filled with water infront of Jooheon.

 

“Thank you, Yoongi.” The man smiled at the bartender, at which Yoongi replied with a small nod before leaving to attend to another customer.

 

The man turned towards Jooheon, head tilted slightly at the glass.“Drink it. Trust me, you’ll fell much better.”

 

Jooheon, who was evidently at that point still a little drunk ~~and stupid~~ , shook his head. “I asked for a beer.”

 

“That’s not what you need.”

 

“And how do __you__  know what __I__ need?” Jooheon asked, a sudden onslaught of stupid bravery rises within him, urging him to challenge the man and see his reaction.

 

The man eyes turned even darker than they were before, something that Jooheon thought was impossible. “Drink.” His voice few octaves lower than usual.

 

A sudden chill ran down Jooheon’s spine, and he almost moan right there and then.

__Almost__  - if not for his quick reaction of biting his own lower lip.

__Hard._ _

 

The action, apparently, hasn’t escaped the other man who promptly smirks upon seeing it. He moved closer to Jooheon. Just a little bit closer, barely an inch, but the distance closed felt like a mile to Jooheon. His heart started thundering wildly, the sounds of its beats drumming through his ears.

Jooheon could practically __feel__  the other male, despite him not touching him in any sense. A shudder ran through him, and again, he had to forcefully bit his lips to not let any embarrassing sound escape his mouth.

 

Still a bit intoxicated and blissfully stupid, Jooheon looked straight into the other male’s dark orbs. “What will I get if I drink it?”

 

The man gracefully raised his eyebrow.

He finally closed the remaining few centimeters between them, and Jooheon fucking __purred.__

The man’s torso pressed against Jooheon’s own, hand reaching up to lightly caress Jooheon’s flushed cheek.

This time, Jooheon doesn’t bother to keep down any sound and softly moaned, hands gripping each sides of his chair tightly.

 

“If you do-” The man whispered in Jooheon’s right ear, lips faintly brushing the brunette’s earlobe.“-You could have anything you want. __Boy__.”

 

Jooheon groaned. Okay, fuck _ _.__  

 

He’s __so__  not going to survive this man.

 

Jooheon grabbed the glass and promptly finished it in one gulp. The cold water washed his over-heated inside down, giving him the much needed relief he craved for.

He took a long, deep breath, trying to calm himself ~~and his boner~~  down.He heard a small chuckle besides him.

And suddenly, Jooheon was feeling too hot all over again.

 

“Okay?” The man asked, though Jooheon doubt his intention was purely concern at all. Not with the obvious mirth dancing inside the male’s smoldering eyes.

 

“I drank the water.” Jooheon pressed his body even closer against the man’s, looking up into the handsome male’s eyes from beneath his eyelashes.

 

The man smiles.

 

“ _ _Good boy__. I guess you deserve a reward, hmm?” The male’s left arm snaked around Jooheon’s body, faint tremors trailing after his movement, travelling down and ended up firmly hooking around the brunette’s slight waist.

 

Jooheon let out a breath that he was unconsciously holding.

 

“Tell me-” The male whispered again, this time, no hint of mischief or playfulness in his eyes, instead there’s only lust and __want.__ “-what is it that you wish for?”

 

And god, Jooheon __really__  want that man! Desperate for him even, at this rate.

 

Jooheon was never a direct kind-of-man. But there’s just something about the other male that just drove Jooheon’s whole system into complete haywire. Everything about the unknown male intrigued him, and at the same time, __scared__ him.

This man that made him experience all sorts of feelings in such a short amount of time.

This man that Jooheon barely even knows!

 

And yet, Jooheon couldn't do anything but helplessly falling deeper and deeper into the other male’s mysterious trap.

 

“You.”

 

The male hummed. “Are you sure?”

 

Jooheon kissed him.

 

 

And that’s how it all begin.


	2. 2

“What did the doctor say?” Gunhee  asks his friend, who’s been silently brooding ever since he came back from the doctor’s office an hour ago.

 

Jooheon plants his face flat into Gunhee’s pillow, the raven’s brown duvet pooling around his body.

Soonyoung observes his friend odd behaviour from his own bed opposite of Gunhee’s.

Jooheon never keeps anything from them, in fact none of them ever keeps anything from each other. That’s why when Jooheon refused to open his mouth after his hospital visit caused Soonyoung to immediately forming multiple scenarios and outcomes inside his head. Most of them either involving chronic illnesses, or death.

None of which is welcoming.

Soonyoung shudders.

 

“Dude, you’re not, like, __dying,__ or something, are you?” He asks, worriedly. Gunhee drops his phone onto the carpeted floor, face horrified. The sound of the mobile game he’s previously playing serves as background noise inside the suddenly silent dorm room.

 

Jooheon mumbles into the pillow, the noise muffled by the white cushion.

 

“What’s that?” Soonyoung asks.

 

Another mumbles.

 

“I haven’t wash the bedding since we moved in.” Gunhee nonchalantly says, knowing Jooheon’s  pet peeve about dirty things.

 

Jooheon immediately yanks his face off the white pillow, face contorting into unveiled disgust. “Yuck! The hell, dude?! That’s almost 3 months ago!” He retches.

 

Gunhee shrugs. “Been busy. __So__  busy.” He picks up his phone and proceed to sit besides the scowling male on his bed.

 

Jooheon shoves his friend, making his way towards the study table, and promptly sits on the wooden chair.

 

“But seriously, Joo, what did the doctor say? Are you sick? Do we need to prepare ourselves for anything - like a funeral or something?” Soonyoung asks again.

 

“Please don’t die. I don’t look good in all-black.” Gunhee says, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.

 

Jooheon scoffs. “I might as well be, seeing that I’m as good as dead after my grandma found out about this.” The brunette says, body going lax in resignment.

 

“So you’re not dying?” Gunhee frowns. “What’s wrong with you then? You’ve been acting like a person on his last breath these past few weeks.”

 

Soonyoung vigorously nods in agreement. “Yeah, there’s only so much vomiting I could tolerate until I starts to vomit myself.” He fake retches.

 

“And the mood swings! One moment you’re in your dark-edgelord-emo phase, and the next moment you threatened to throw me over the balcony just because I ate you one of your corn chips!”

 

“It’s the last piece!” Jooheon shouts, suddenly riling up over the memory of his precious corn chips.

 

“See! You never __care__  about things like that before! It’s like there’s 10 different people living inside you at the same time.”

 

“Are you saying I’m crazy!?”

 

“Wha- I didn’t say that! I was just saying you haven’t been the usual you-”

 

Jooheon starts sobbing, cutting the raven off, “You’re calling me a lunatic-” tears streaming down his chubby cheeks, shoulders shaking violently. “-you think I’m a weirdo!”

 

“What the-”

 

“Now, you called me crazy! Next thing I know, you’d call me a whale!” Jooheon wails.

 

“Why the hell would I call you a whale?!” Gunhee asks exasperatingly, feeling utterly perplexed by his friend’s odd behavior.

 

“Because I’m going to be fat!” Jooheon shouts hysterically. “I’m going to be fatter than a fucking whale and everyone is going to laugh at me and call me ugly and-”

 

Soonyoung suddenly gasps. “No.” He says softly. “Jooheon…”

 

Gunhee turns towards Soonyoung, puzzled. “What?”

 

Soonyoung eyes widen in realization. “Jooheon...a-are you…pregnant..?”

 

The other male’s answer is a series of hiccups, accompanied by a much louder wail.

 

Gunhee falls down dramatically onto the carpeted floor.

 

“ _ _Fuck__..”

 

 

* * *

 

The three friends sit on the carpeted floor side-by-side, backs leaning on Soonyoung’s single bed. Jooheon sits in the middle, eyed red and puffy after the previous episode of hysterical breakdown in front of his two childhood friends.

Both Gunhee and Soonyoung haven’t spoken a single word after the ~~groundbreaking~~  revelation that literally shocks their asses off. __Literally.__

 

The three friends sit in silent.

 

“How..?” Gunhee breaks the silence, eyes staring straight at the opposite wall, dazed.

 

“How what?” Jooheon replies, eyes equally dazed.

 

“How did this happen?”

 

Jooheon frowns, face turning to look at Gunhee. “How did I get pregnant?”

 

Soonyoung snorts. “We all know how __that__ happen.” He snickers mischievously, smirking at Jooheon, blatant innuendos plastered all over his face.

 

Jooheon retaliates by shoving Soonyoung’s head into the floor.

 

Gunhee glares at Soonyoung. “Fuck off. You know what I mean.”

 

“No, we don’t” Jooheon and Soonyoung answers in unison.

 

Gunhee groans in frustration. “How? __How?!__ ”

 

“You kept asking how as if the answer will suddenly come to you if you keep doing it.” Jooheon replies, rolling his eyes.

 

“I think he meant __how__  did all this come to place.” Soonyoung says, sensing Gunhee’s frustration rising at an alarming rate. “I mean, it’s not making any sense. You don’t have any boyfriend. You’re not seeing anyone. We’re together almost all the time! So __how__?”

 

Gunhee nods frantically in agreement.

 

Jooheon sighs. “Remember when we went to the club?”

 

“Last month?” Gunhee asks.

 

Jooheon nods solemnly. “ _ _That’s__ how.”

 

“Wait. You really did sleep with someone that night??” Soonyoung replies, disbelief etches on his face.

 

“What? You guys still don’t believe me? I told you guys already!”

 

“We thought you were lying!” Gunhee answers.

 

“Why would I lie about things like that?! I came back the next morning!” Jooheon shouts, exasperated.

 

“We thought you passed out some where!” Gunhee shouts back.

 

“And you didn’t think to search for me even __after__  thinking I might’ve passed out somewhere in public? __Alone__??”

 

“In our defense, Seoul is a very huge place.” Soonyoung butts in. “And we’re both dead drunk at that time.”

 

“True.” Gunhee agrees. “And you’re not alone. You just said you spent the night with someone.”

 

Soonyoung nods. “Who did you sleep with anyway? I don’t remember seeing you with any guy.”

 

“What makes you think it’s a guy?” Jooheon asks.

 

“Really?” Gunhee replies sarcastically, eyes looking pointedly at Jooheon’s stomach. “ _ _Really?__ ”

 

Joohoen huffs in annoyance. “Okay, fine. It’s a guy. I slept with him. It was amazing. Satisfied, now?”

 

Soonyoung grins. “ _ _That__  good, huh?”

 

Jooheon sighs, mind recalling the memory of that night. “The __best__ I’ve ever had.”

 

“You mean the __only__ one you ever had?” Gunhee snickers, Soonyoung let out a loud guffaw.

 

“Fuck off loser!”

 

“Might’ve been an incredible man to get you knocked up in just one try.” Gunhee comments offhandedly.

 

Jooheon tenses, suddenly looking very defeated. “And just __one__ time was all it took.” He hugs his legs closer towards his body, head laying on his closed knees. Gunhee and Soonyoung look at each other from above Jooheon’s head.

 

Jooheon sighs deeply, and closes his eyes. He’s afraid that he’ll start crying again if he keeps his eyes open.

Damn hormone!

 

“Hey-” Gunhee nudges Jooheon softly, “-things happen. Maybe things that we didn’t expect, sure, but it happens. It’s okay.” He gently caress Jooheon’s hair, other hand patting his right thigh lightly. “It’s okay. __You’re__  okay.”

 

Jooheon raises his head, woefully looking at his friend, tears start brimming in his eyes. “I’ll be fine?” He asks, not unlike a lost child.

 

Gunhee and Soonyoung hearts break at that. Seeing their friend in that kind of state pains them in more ways than they could describe. The cheerful Jooheon, the bright, joyous Jooheon, their precious Jooheon who always bring happiness to people around him - they never want him to be hurt.

 

Soonyoung hugs Jooheon, trying to convey the feeling of comfort and warmth towards the grieving boy. “You’ll be just fine. We’re here aren’t we? We got you.”

 

Jooheon starts to sobs. Though, this time, it’s not out of frustration or anger, but out of relief, knowing that his best friends will always have his back. That he’s not alone, and he doesn’t have to go through all of this by himself.

 

Soonyoung coos. “There, there. How come you still have so much tears left?”

 

Jooheon sniffs, scrunching his nose, “I drank a lot of water.”

 

“Is that why you’ve been peeing a lot?” Gunhee asks curiously.

 

“Nah, that’s just my hormones.”

 

“What else is caused by your hormones? The mood swings? Because if it is then you need to tell your hormones to calm the fuck down.”

 

Jooheon scowls. “Yeah, well my hormones says to go fuck yourself!” He kicks the raven’s left foot, hard.

 

Gunhee shrieks, and promptly raises his hands in defeat. “Chill, chill. I was just joking. __Relax__ , bro.”

 

Jooheon flashes his middle finger.

 

Gunhee rolls his eyes. “See? You were literally sobbing a few seconds ago.”

 

“By the way-” Soonyoung butts in before Jooheon decides to kill Gunhee “-what about the father?”

 

“Whose father?” Jooheon and Gunhee asks in unison. Soonyoung inwardly thought of how eerily similar the three of them are.

 

“Your baby?”

 

“But I’m the father?” Jooheon asks, head tilted in confusion.

 

“The __other__  father.” Soonyoung clarifies.

 

“Aren’t you suppose to be the mother in this case?” Gunhee questions.

 

Jooheon glares. “You’re not invited to the baby shower.”

 

Gunhee cries out a protest. “I’m the uncle!”

 

“Disowned.”

 

Gunhee gawks. “You take that back!”

 

Soonyong quickly stops his childish friends. “Guys, guys. Focus. We’re in the middle of something important here.”

 

“Ahh _right_. The father.” Gunhee nods sagely. “So Jooheon, what about the father.”

 

Jooheon squirms, looking uncomfortable upon the mention of the other unknown father figure. “Well, I don’t think he’s of any importance here.” He states softly.

 

Gunhee and Soonyoung frowns. “What do you mean? Of course he is! You can’t go through this by yourself!” Gunhee rebukes disapprovingly.

 

“I have you guys-”

 

“It’s not the same, Joo.” Soonyoung, always the ~~unfortunate~~  voice-of-reason amongst the three, says gently.

 

Jooheon slumps tiredly. “I don’t know much about him.” He says dejectedly.

 

“He didn’t even leave you his phone number?” Gunhee asks, feeling a sudden rush of anger towards the unknown male. “He just left you out dry like that? After sleeping with him?!”

 

Joohoen frantically shakes his head. “No! __I__  left him.” His finger tightens around the sleeves of his sweater. “After I woke up, that day, I-I immediately left. He didn’t ask me to leave, or something. He…He didn’t know. He was asleep.”

 

“Oh Jooheon…” Soonyoung murmurs in pity.

 

“I was __so__  embarassed. I didn’t know what to do. So, I  just…” Jooheon exhales. “And then I immediately came back here.”

 

Gunhee stares at his distraught friend. “So you know nothing about this guy?”

 

Jooheon slowly nods. “Only his name.”

 

“What’s his name, then?” Soonyoung asks.

 

Jooheon sighs again, “His name is…”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Master Changkyun?” a man in his late 60’s calls out, adorned in a black suit, tidy and clean, with a red tie neatly tied around his collar, body tall and sturdy-looking despite the wrinkles around his eyes and almost fully gray hairs enveloping his head.

 

A sighs, followed by a soft chuckle reverberated around the vast, empty space.

 

“I told you not to call me that, didn’t I?”

 

A man, hands snug in the pockets of his navy blue slacks, white button-down neatly folded to his elbows, ties and suit discarded on the light gray sofa - the only piece of furniture in the otherwise vacant room, stands in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the whole expanse of the wall. His silver watch glinting in the rays of sunlight entering through the window panes.

He turns his head towards the only other occupant in the area, a small smile on his handsome face. “You’ve been with me all throughout my live. You’ve watched me grow, ahjussi.”

 

The older man smiles, face calm and serene. “Yes. And you’ve always been my young master.” He says fondly.

 

“And you’ve always been more than just a mere helper to me. Call me Changkyun.” The younger man says stubbornly.

 

The middle-aged man let out a defeated sighs, knowing full well that he can never refuse the young man anything, especially when he’d set his mind on something. “Alright, __Changkyun.__ ”

 

Changkyun smiles gleefully.

 

“So, I assume that your visit here this time will be a much longer one?” The older asks.

 

Changkyun hums. “Yeah.” He answers, soft.

 

“Then-” The older man walks towards the youngest, hand clasping his shoulder firmly. “ -welcome back to Korea, Changkyun.”

 

Changkyun nods. “It’s good to be back.”


	3. 3

Jooheon has a sudden case of deja vu.

 

But, instead of the uncomfortable sterile smell of the hospital, the air around the room smells and _feels_ vaguely of age-old antiques and old books.

The large, dark brown mahogany desk in front of him enhancing the rich ambiance of the place, walls lined with moss-coloured wallpapers and shelves filled with various files alphabetically-arranged, and books thicker than Jooheon’s dorm wall and probably older than all of Jooheon’s ancestors combined.

The large windows surrounding the room are decorated with dark red long drapes that reach the wooden floor, and floor lights positioned at every corner of the room.

Jooheon concluded that the owner of this room is either an old man (or woman) stuck in the 18th century, or a century-old vampire, or _worse -_ pretentious asshole who probably wished he (or she - Jooheon is all-gender inclusive) lives during Victorian-era.

All these combined which would usually give Jooheon an odd sense of comfort and familiarity (Jooheon’s actually a pretentious asshole himself, sue him, he’s a freakin lit. major), currently however, only serves to amp up the prickling feel of unease that’s been niggling him for the past few days.

Here he is, sweating bullets through his palms, and practically vibrating his ass off on the cushioned chair (he hopes he’s not sweating through his ass too because that’d be _nasty_ \- and also will leave an ugly mark on the light-coloured chair which he is positive costs more than his 3 month-worth meals).

 

Gunhee and Soonyoung had advised him to see his academic counsellor to work things through, thus why Jooheon’s here, grounding his body onto the chair while every fibre of his being is shrieking for him to flee the place as fast as his mildly-athletic self will allow.

 

He didn’t.

 

Run away.

 

Because Jooheon is a sensible person who knows what’s good for him, and also because both Gunhee and Soonyoung are waiting right around the corner of the room, as a precaution _should_ he decide to flee. Like a coward.

 

He didn’t. Of course.

 

He should have.

 

The door clicks open.

 

‘Too late! Fuuuu!!!’ Jooheon inwardly screeches.

 

“Lee Jooheon?” A melodious raspy voice of what clearly is a man (and sounds like quite a young one, Jooheon thought) reaches his ears. “Sorry I’m late. Got caught up in a scr- nevermind. Have you waited for long?”

A man, a _very handsome_ man, makes his way behind the wooden desk, burgundy hair neatly styled back, exposing his forehead, thin-rimmed glasses framing his almond-shaped eyes, soft cream-coloured scarf loosely hanging around his long neck. High cheekbones and jaws that could cut diamond completing the overall stunning face of the male.

 

‘ _Definitely_ a vampire.’ Jooheon thinks.

 

Jooheon eyes the dark-coloured long coat elegantly draped onto the man’s tall, lithe torso with envy, and then proceeds to look down morosely at the little fold around his stomach formed by his (expanding) belly.

Jooheon is suddenly regretting the three sets of cheeseburger that he literally inhaled yesterday.

He weeps silently for his body.

 

“Lee Jooheon?”

 

Jooheon snaps out of his short reverie. “Yes?”

 

The male chuckles. “I asked whether you’ve waited for long.”

 

Jooheon quickly shakes his head. “N-No. I just arrived.”

 

The other man sighs in relief. “Thank goodness. Sorry for being late again. Do you want some coffee?” He asks. “Tea?”

 

Jooheon shakes his head again. “No thanks.”

 

The guy nods, finally taking a seat on his chair, a file - which Jooheon presumes to be his - clutched in his hand.  “Okay, shall we get to business then?”

 

Jooheon hesitantly nods, hands clamping up.

 

“Okay, great!” The man smiles. “My name is Lee Minhyuk, if you didn’t know, which I doubt because I’m your academic advisor, _still,_ and as an academic advisor, I’m tasked to help you all throughout out your academic life here in this university, particularly regarding your academics and studies, but also with other, _things_ ,should you trust me enough to do so, of course.” He lays the file open on the desk.

 

Jooheon eyes the man warily. “Yes.”

 

The man, sensing Jooheon’s hesitance, smiles comfortingly at him. His almond-shaped eyes turn soft, and Jooheon is temporarily hypnotized by the oddly-comforting uneven blinking of the other male.

 

“So what kind of advice are you seeking today?”

 

Jooheon bites his lip. “I-I…”

 

Minhyuk looks at him encouragingly.

 

“The things that I’ll say - to you - won’t be, I mean, you won’t tell others, right?”

 

_That_ certainly puts a halt on Minhyuk’s smile.

His expression turns serious. “Of course. All the information passed out in this room is strictly confidential between you and me, and I have no rights to share it with any outside parties, except for the faculty, **but** only _if_ I deemed the situation is fit for a faculty intervention. Okay?”

 

Jooheon nods. Feeling more secured.

There’s just something about the other male that makes Jooheon feels like he could trust him.

 

“I’m…” Jooheon starts.

 

“Yes? Go on. It’s okay.”

 

“I may have or have not, am currently, having…a baby.”

 

A pause.

 

“I’m sorry, what?”

 

“I’m pregnant? With a child?”

 

The older looks, unsurprisingly, shocks. Though he quickly masks it with a neutral face, and Jooheon almost misses the gentle smile he had a few moments ago.

_Almost._

 

The man clears his throat. “Are you sure?” He asks, eyes intensely staring through Jooheon’s cautious ones.

 

“Yes.” Jooheon replies, eyes turn downward to stare at his fidgeting hands. “I’ve seen the doctor. She confirmed it.”

 

“Is the -other- father another student in the faculty?” Minhyuk asks, soft, despite the intense gaze he’s currently adopting.

 

Jooheon shakes his head. “He is…someone…that I’ve had a one night stand with.”

 

Jooheon supposes there’s no point on keeping anything a secret. If he want the other man’s help, he should have just bare everything out.

 

“I- Okay.” Minhyuk says, obviously taken back by the revelation. “Okay. Listen, Jooheon, I may or may not offend you with this question, but…did your doctor told you of… _other_ …viable option? To this, I mean.” The advisor looks very uncomfortable while uttering the question.

 

Jooheon nods. Of course his doctor did.

In fact, that was the first thing she addressed after discovering that Jooheon is, apparently, a student with no source of stable monthly income, and a fixed partner.

The last stung him the most.

 

That’s also the sole reason Jooheon forced himself to seek for the counselor’s advice in the first place.

Jooheon, he, _thoughts_ , of the other option.

He’s considering it.

Every day, every night, after discovering his pregnancy.

It’s the only thing he could think about lately.

 

But, at the same time, there’s also something inside him, _something_ , which makes him feels nauseated every time he even thinks of the _other_ option.

 

Abortion.

 

It is just, somehow, despite being the most sensible choice for him, feels so… _wrong_.

 

Jooheon’s in no position to be pregnant.

He can’t be raising a child.

Not now.

Not currently in his situation.

 

_But_.

 

So he voices all his thoughts to the advisor. All his feelings, all his emotions out, bare, naked, for the other male to see, to hear, to decipher.

 

Minhyuk listens to the male attentively, attention unwavering. He hears everything from the younger boy, mind free of any judgment or perception. The boy came to him, anxious with all his problems, and then the boy bravely bare himself open, trusting Minhyuk to help him.

And for that, Minhyuk swears to himself to do everything that he could to help the boy.

To aid this unfortunate boy that looks like he’s carrying the weight of the whole world on his shoulders.

 

“Jooheon-“ He says after the boy had finished telling him his story, “I can’t make the decision for you, nor do I have the rights to push you towards any possible path you should take. This decision is entirely up to you, it’s _your_ body and it’s _your_ life. No one should be allowed to force you to do anything. Do you understand?” He asks, eyes intense with determination.

 

Jooheon nods.

 

“However, I highly suggest for you to talk with your family about this matter. Have you told you parents yet?” Minhyuk inquires.

 

“I-I don’t have any parents.” Jooheon answers, eyes downcast. “My grandma is the only family I had left. And my uncles and aunts, but – yeah. It’s just me and grandma. I haven’t told her yet.”

 

“I see.” Minhyuk flips through Jooheon’s file forlornly. His heart aches for the boy in front of him. “Then you should tell you grandma first. Talk to her. Tell her everything that you just told me. She would understand. I’m sure.” Minhyuk tries to smile at the boy.

 

Jooheon returns the gesture, albeit hesitantly. “Okay.”

 

“Meanwhile, I’ll do whatever I could to look for every possible options you could take, should you decide to keep your child. In terms of your studies, I mean. I’ll make sure that no matter what decision you take, it won’t jeopardize your academic chance.” Minhyuk smiles reassuringly.

 

This time, Jooheon smiles back wholeheartedly. Somehow, he feels like a part of the burden has been carried off him.

 

Then is when Minhyuk sees a glimpse of what Lee Jooheon is as a person.

A talented, bright, cheerful individual that lights up every room he’s in. Just like what all his previous teachers had starkly gushed about in his file. The file that Minhyuk scanned through before.

And his heart expands for this boy that he just met.

 

“Thank you, Mr. Lee.” The boy softly says, dimples decorating his fluffy cheeks. Minhyuk inwardly gushes because _dimples._ Just how cute can this boy be?

 

“No need to thank me, Jooheon. It’s my job.” He says, calm despite his inner gushing.

 

Jooheon nods again, and makes his way towards the door. He thanks the advisor again.

 

“Jooheon?” Minhyuk calls out. The boy turns towards him questioningly. “You have my number right? My door is always open for you.” The older grins.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Gunhee and Soonyoung immediately latches themselves at either sides of Jooheon. They’ve been waiting impatiently for the male to finish his session, legs cramping at having to squats for a long time, no chairs along the hallway that’s available for them to sit on.

 

“So-“ Gunhee starts. “-what did he say?”

 

Jooheon looks ahead determinedly.

 

“It’s time to call grandma.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Jooheon grandma is the typical example of countryside grandmother.

A peaceful, gentle soul filled with warm hospitality and all the love in the world.

A woman full of compassion and kindness, that’s been the source of strength for Jooheon ever since he existed in this world, his protector, his guardian, his personal forever _safeplace_.

 

And that’s why, Jooheon is so _so_ nervous about the conversation that he’s about to have with the most important person on his life.

 

He dials her number.

 

One ring.

 

Two rings.

 

(Grandma always picks up after the third.)

 

Three rings.

 

“ _Hello?_ ”

 

“Hello, grandma.” He greets softly, heart filled with so much love for the other person on the line.

 

“ _Oh, Jooheon_.” Jooheon could imagine her warm, gentle smile. “ _It’s so nice to hear your voice_.” Her lovely voice resonates in Jooheon’s ears.

 

“It’s nicer to hear yours, grandma. Sorry I haven’t been calling much lately.”

 

She chuckles. “ _Nonsense! I know you’re busy, sweetheart. This old woman doesn’t need you to call her all the time_.”

 

“But grandma-“ He whines. “-I want to hear your voice every day, every night, before I sleep, after I wake up. I miss you so much.”

 

His grandma laughs. “ _And I miss you so much too, my little honeybee_. _All the time_.”

 

 Jooheon chokes up. “Grandma…” His voice wavers.

 

“ _Oh honey. What’s wrong_?” Concern filling her voice. She could always sense whenever Jooheon is in distress.

 

Jooheon starts sobbing. “Grandma…”

 

“ _Oh my dear child. Tell me what’s wrong, please._ ”

 

“I-I’m sorry. I am so _so_ sorry grandma.” He hiccups. “I made a mistake and-“ He chokes up again. “And-“

 

“ _It’s okay. It’s okay honeybee. What happened?_ ” She soothingly urges.

 

Jooheon tries to calm himself down, hands reaching up to his face to wipe the tears pouring down his cheeks away.

 

“I-I’m…pregnant, grandma.” He finally says, voice almost inaudible over the call line.

 

The line went silent, and Jooheon’s heart beats nervously. “Grandma…?” He panics.

 

Of course this is going to be bad!

Grandma is disappointed.

He had disappoints her.

He had let her down.

He shouldn’t have told her.

He should’ve just take care of the problem by himself.

He should’ve-

 

“ _Oh honeybee. My sweet Joohoney._ ” She finally says after a few moments of going dark.

 

Jooheon sobs. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry grandma! It’s my fault! I made a mistake and now you’re disappointed and-“

 

“ _Jooheon, sweetheart-_ “ She cuts his mid-panic tirade.“- _I’m not disappointed at you. I could never be. My precious honeybee, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s okay_. _I am not angry. I would never be mad at you_.”

 

“B-But-“ He sniffs, hand clutching tightly at his phone. “Grandma…” He calls, voice trembling.

 

“ _It’s okay, dear. Grandma is here. Hush now. Don’t cry. Grandma hates it when her honeybee cries, okay?”_

 

“You’re not mad, grandma?” He asks in a small voice.

 

“ _I’m not mad, honey_.”

 

“You’re not disappointed in me?” He sniffs.

 

“ _Never. I could never be disappointed in you, my little bee_.” She coos lovingly. “ _Things happen. And sometimes, unexpected things occur. That is life_.”

 

“Gunhee told me the same thing.”

 

His grandma chuckles tenderly. “ _There’s a reason why I like that boy_.”

 

Jooheon laughs, feeling utterly relief at his grandma’s reaction.

 

“ _But honey, he’s not the father, is he? Not that I have any problem with him-_ “

 

“No! God, no! Grandma, Gunhee is not- That’s just- No.” Jooheon vehemently denies. The thought of just sleeping with his bestfriend makes he feels like puking his gut out.

 

“ _There is no problem even if he is. It’s just that you guys have been friends for so long and-_ “

 

Jooheon cuts her off. “Really, grandma. It’s not Gunhee. It’s…It’s someone else.”

 

She hums. “ _And do I know this someone?_ ” She inquires.

 

“No, grandma.” He replies. “And I don’t think you ever will.” Jooheon says weakly. His heart constricts at every thought of the other male.

 

“ _I see. Well, honeybee, it’s okay. You have grandma._ ”

 

Jooheon smiles. “Yes I do. And Gunhee, and Soonyoung.”

 

“ _Yes. We could take care of you, and your child_.”

 

Jooheon clams up. “About that…”

 

“ _Jooheon?_ ”

 

“I don’t know whether I will…keep it.”

 

The line went silent again. Then, a sigh.

 

“ _Jooheon, is there a reason why you can’t keep the baby?_ ”

 

“I just – we don’t have the money-“

 

“ _Nonsense! We may not be the richest person on the planet, but I am more than able to feed another mouth_.”

 

“-and I’m only 19, grandma! I can’t be having a child!”

 

“ _You are 19, and you are an adult. And an adult should take responsibility for every action they make._ ” She says firmly.

 

Jooheon winces.

He forgot that underneath that soft and gentle exterior, is a woman who had single-handedly raised all her 4 children after losing her husband to the sea in a tragic accident. And then had to deal with the death of one of her own children to another unfortunate accident.

His grandma is a woman with a gentle smile, and a steel heart.

 

“Grandma…”

 

“ _What **really** is the problem, honeybee?_”

 

“I’m scared.” He finally admits. “I really am. I don’t even know what I’m doing. I don’t know what the right choice is. I just- I’m just really scared, grandma.” Jooheon feels like a child again, whining and crying to his grandma, begging her to comfort him.

 

“ _Honeybee, didn’t I just said that I’m here? It’s okay to not know what to do at first. That’s why you have to learn. And I am always here to help you. You’re not alone, my child._ ”

 

Jooheon sniffs. Damn, what is wrong with him and crying? Is his water pipes broken or something? It’s like the only thing he’s doing lately is crying, and eating, and more crying, and more eating.

Damn hormones.

 

“ _And Jooheon, if you really don’t want the child, you would’ve gotten rid of it as soon as you found out that you’re carrying._ ” His grandmother points out. She’s always been a very perceptive woman.

 

Jooheon, despite all of his earlier outburst of not wanting to keep the baby, is actually very reluctant to do so.

He suspects that a few days of coming to term with his pregnancy, no matter how messy his life was during those few days, had somehow made him grows fond of the being inside his belly. It’s like they’re both making connection with each other despite how bizarre that must’ve sounded considering that his _child_ , is merely but just a clump of cells put together forming a distorted ball ~~of misery~~.

(See, Jooheon knows his biology, _thanks_.)

What he’s trying to say is that he had somehow became… _protective_ , of it.

Jooheon supposed **that** should’ve been a fucking clear sign.

 

He sighs. “Grandma. I…don’t really want to get rid of it.” And now, even saying things like ‘get rid’ etc. about his ball of misery, pains him, physically.

 

“ _I knew it_.” His grandma sounds smug. Jooheon scoffs. “ _I am a mother of 4, my little bee. I know how it feels like. You could complain all you want, but you could never hurt your own child._ ”

 

“It’s still not a child, grandma. I’m not even 2 months in yet.”

 

“ _It will be in a few months. And then it’ll become my littlelest bee._ ” She gushes, voice evidently fond.

 

Somehow, Jooheon grows warm at his grandmother’s nickname for his child.

_His_ child.

His own blood.

His own _little_ _bee_.

 

“Grandma…” he says. “I’m having a baby.”

 

* * *

 

 

Minhyuk holds the phone in between his left hand, and his cheek. His right hand clutching onto a fork, a plate containing pasta lays untouched on the table in front of him.

 

“You’re keeping it? I see.” He smiles into the phone. “I’m happy that your grandma is supporting your decision.”

 

A gust of wind blows, messing up his hair that was previously neatly slicked back.

 

“Yeah, I told you I’ll do everything I could to help you.” The male sitting in front of him raises his eyebrow at Minhyuk. He shushes him up. “Why don’t you come to my office tomorrow? We could talk more about this in details.”

 

An inaudible voice answers him from the other side of the line.

 

“Okay, great! I’ll see you tomorrow. The same time.” Minhyuk ends the call, sighing softly.

 

“Work?” The other occupant on the table asks, reaching for his glass of wine on the table.

 

“My student.” Minhyuk corrects.

 

“Work then.”

 

“I never consider my students as work.” Minhyuk chides.

 

The other man shrugs, taking a sip from his glass. He, then, put the glass down, eyes staring after the outside scenery of the restaurant, located high above the ground, overlooking the Seoul metropolitan. The brightness of the lights across the city illuminating the darkness of the night sky.

 

“I missed this.”

 

Minhyuk smiles.

 

“I missed hanging out with all of you. The four of us.” The man continues.

 

Minhyuk nods. “I missed it too. It’s too bad that Hyungwon couldn’t make it. And Kihyun is too far across the sea.” Minhyuk sighs.

 

“Luckily, I’ve got you, don’t I, Changkyun?” Minhyuk looks at the other male with mirth. “If not I'll have to spend eating dinner tonight all by myself.”

 

Changkyun chuckles. “Yeah right. You’d just bother Hyungwon-hyung until he agrees to eat with you.”

 

Minhyuk grins. “It’s really nice to finally see you again, Changkyun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then they finally meet 67 chapters later.  
> I should've put a slow-burn tag don't I?  
> Plot progression really going slow there.


End file.
